Monster of Men
by Soro-su
Summary: I felt anger, true anger.   And then i thought...maybe  shut up  just maybe...being like the mayor wasn't all too bad. Maybe being his son...wouldn't be all that bad.   One shot


**I do not own this, Patrick Ness.**

_Starts from page 437…_

_(Viola) _

_"Viola," Todd calls after me down the ramp. "Viola, I'm sorry. Why won't you even let me say that?"_

_ And I stop there, trying to read him._

_ But there is still just silence. _

_ "Are you really sorry?" I say. "If you had to choose all over again, are you sure you wouldn't do the same thing?"_

_ "How can you even ask that?" He says, frowning._

_ "Have you seen what you're wearing lately?" I look back up at the Mayor, walking slowly to the top of the ramp, taking care with his injuries but still smiling through the burn gel on his face, still wearing an impossibly clean uniform._

_ Just like Todd._

_ "You could be father and son."_

_ "Don't say that!"_

_ "It's true, though. Look at yourselves." _

_ "Viola, you know me. Out of everyone left alive on this planet, yer the one that does."_

_ But I'm shaking my head. "Maybe not anymore. Since I stopped being able to hear you—"_

_ He really frowns at this. "So that's what you want, is it? I'm fine as long as you can hear everything I think but not the other way round? We're friends as long as you got all the power?"_

_ "It's not about power, Todd. It's about trust—"_

_ "And I ain't done enough for you to trust me?" He points up at the ramp at the Mayor. "He's fighting for peace now, Viola. And he's doing that cuz of me. Cuz I changed him."_

_ Yeah, I say flicking the gold stripe on his sleeve. "And how has he changed you? Enough so you save him and not Simone?"_

_ "He hasn't changed me, Viola—"_

_ "Did you control Wilf to get him to jump off the cart?"_

_ His eyes open wide._

_ "I saw it in his noise," I say. "And if it bothered Wilf, it can't be a good thing."_

_ "I saved his life!" he shouts. "I was doing it for good—"_

_ "So that makes it okay? That makes it okay that you said you couldn't do it? That you wouldn't do it? How many other people have you controlled for their own good?"_

_ He fights with his words for a minute and I can see some real regret in his eyes, regret over something he hasn't told me, but which I still can't see in his complete lack of Noise—_

_ "I'm doing all of this for you!" he finally shouts. "I'm trying to make this a safe world for you!"_

_ "And I've done it for you, Todd!" I shout back. "Only to find out that maybe you're not you anymore!"_

_ And his face is so angry but also so horrified, so shocked and hurt by what I'm saying I can almost—_

Feel anger radiating off of him. I realize that maybe I went too far, but his noise, so silent, so still.

"Listen Todd—"

"No you listen, _Viola_" I saw now that he was truly hurt. "I have done everything for you, everything. Now you're telling me that I'm not me anymore? That I have become a different person? That I have become _him_?"

He took a deep sigh, I felt something coming I knew something was coming. I would regret every letting those words out of my mouth for the rest of my life.

(Todd)

I felt anger, true anger.

And I start thinking that maybe

(Shut up)

Just maybe

(Shut up)

That maybe being like the Mayor wasn't all bad. He has changed, _I _changed him.

I glare at Violet, her eyes soften but I ain't gonna bow down to her that easily.

""No you listen, _Viola_" I spit out her name with hate, I never done that. "I have done everything for you, everything. Now you're telling me that I'm not me anymore? That I have become a different person? That I have become _him_?"

I take a deep breath.

"Todd—" But no, I won't be her stupid play toy.

"Maybe, I don't mind being like the Mayor."

Now I have said it, what I would have died before saying…I have said it.

And it felt good. No, don't shut up. It felt good, the Mayor was powerful, I could be powerful, Violet won't stop me I won't let her.

Her eyes turned said, tears brimmed her eyes. I didn't care, don't shut up. No, I didn't care, she gone too far to return. I was gone, I was done waiting.

"Get used to not hearing my Noise, Violet." I gave her a smile, no not friendly, it was mocking, taunting. "Cuz yer not gonna be hearing it for a while."

And that was it, I was gone. I let it out; let me tell you, it felt good.

(Don't shut up)

A tear dropped onto her cheek, once I would have took her into a hug, but no, she hurt me. I didn't care, I was powerful.

Violet's hand reached out, but I moved away, she cried now, sobbed. But why should I care? She thought I was different, that I was no longer Todd; well I'll show her how different I am.

"Please Todd," She said, her voice shaking.

Why did I care? I didn't.

I shook my head. "Yer choice already made right?"

"No Todd no," She pleaded. "I was mad, please Todd, I am sorry."

"No, yer choice is made." I smiled mockingly. "I hope you enjoy your freedom with _Wilf_."

I knew I should fell angry, but I didn't. She was no longer mine, and I didn't care.

(It was alright-)

Yeah it was.

The Mayor appeared behind me.

"Is there a problem Todd?" He asked, looking at Violet's tear stained face.

She sent pleading eyes.

Yer nothing to me, I would say, nothing.

"No," I replied, my heart was gone. I was alive, but I didn't care, no care.

He tugged at my arm, pulling me ahead, pulling me with him towards the crowd.

And I let him.

(I know-)

But I let him.

"I knew you were special from the beginning." Mayor told me, I listened, for the first time I did listen. "You were born a leader Todd, a leader. You are my true son," I froze no.

"I know you are regretful, but see Todd?" He gestured to the sea of people. "Look, they are ready for the President's son."

"You killed you only son," I replied, bitterly, still bitterly.

He winced. "Yes I know, but you can be my son."

(I was thinking…yeah I could-)

"But,"

(I could be all-)

"Listen to me Todd," He commanded, softly gently…fatherly. "You are my soul. This road to redemption has been hard, impossible without you. You are the leader, I know it. Please Todd, come with me and be all. Be all with me, as my son."

I AM THE CIRCLE

He sends to me.

AND THE CIRCLE IS ME.

I finished. He grins, I smile.

He steps to the front.

"Quiet please," And they quiet, he was their leader, still is.

"You all know Todd," They nodded. "Then you all know, he is brave, loyal, and intelligent. Do you agree?"

They nodded without hesitashun.

"What should he become my son,"

Quiet was all I heard.

Then as one agreed that I would be perfect.

"Then he should be my son." The M—No, the President smile warmly at me.

"What do you say Todd? Be my son?"

I hesitated. I glanced at Violet, she was sobbing, crying. I felt my heart drop. Maybe this was bad. But Wilf came over, he hugged her, I froze. Violet let him, it wasn't just that Wilf comforted her…she let him. Anger ragged. Above all, above all.

"Yeah," I replied.

The President nodded in satisfaction.

The crowd cheered, I grinned.

Violet cried, I didn't care.

Why should I?

I didn't.

My life was ruler, what a great trade.

I didn't care.

Because I was all, but one.

I AM THE CIRCLE AND THE CIRCLE IS ME.

**So this was a one shot. Hope u liked it.**


End file.
